54 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

I now began to consider that I might yet get a great many |
things out of the ship, which would be useful to me, and particu-
larly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things as
might come to land ; and I resolved to make another voyage on
board the vessel if possible. And as I knew that the first storm
that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces, I resolved to
set all other things apart, till I had got everything out of the ship
that I could get. Then I called a council—that is to say, in
my thoughts—whether I should take back the raft ; but this
appeared impracticable ; so I resolved to go as before, when
the tide was down , and IJ did so, only that I stripped before I
went from my hut, having nothing on but a checkered shirt, a
pair of linen drawers, and a pair of pumps on my feet.

I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second
raft ; and having had experience of the first, I neither made
this so unwieldy, nor loaded it so hard, but yet I brought away
several things very useful to me; as, first, in the carpenter’s
stores, I found two or three bags full of nails and spikes, a
great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and, above all, that
most useful thing called a grindstone. All these I secured,
together with several things belonging to the gunner, particu-
larly two or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets,
seven muskets, and another fowling-piece, with some small
quantity of powder more ; a large bagful of small shot, and a
great roll of sheet-lead ; but this last was so heavy I could not
hoist it up to get it over the ship’s side.

Besides these things, I took all the men’s clothes that I
could find, and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock, and some bed-
ding ; and with this I loaded my second raft, and brought them
all safe on shore, to my very great comfort.

I was under some apprehension, during my absence from
‘the land, that at least my provisions might be devoured on shore :
but when I came back, I found no sign of any visitor; only
there sat a creature like a wild cat, upon one of the chests,
which, when I came towards it, ran away a little distance, and
then stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned, and _
looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted
with me. I presented my gun to her, but as she did not under-
stand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she offer
to stir away ; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit, though,
by the way, I was not very free of it, for my-store was not great:
however, I spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, smelled
at it, and ate it, and looked (as if pleased) for more; but I
thanked her, and could spare no more: so she marched off.